It functions on the basis of voluntary financial contributions from partners in all sectors: governments, civil society and the private sector. Between 2002 and 2016, a total of 56 donor governments have pledged US$42 billion.

The Canadian Government has just announced a 20% increase of its contribution to $785 millions between 2017 and 2019. Moreover, Montreal will host the fifth Fund Replenishment Conference on September 16th.

The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, declared during his announcement : «We also have to look fo ways to reduce the inequalities that exist within communities and societies and one of these big inequalities is the one between
the sexes».

Funding close to 500 initiatives in more than 100 countries, the Global Fund plays a crucial role in the fight against these deadly ailments. According to its latest annual report, the organization estimates at 17 million the number of lives saved by the end of 2014 as a result of its interventions since its creation.

At the publication of the report in September 2015, Mark Dybul, Executive Director of the Global Fund, stated: “Advances in global health are transforming communities in ways that go way beyond what the numbers show. More people on treatment means parents can actually care for their children and be productive members of a community. Fewer infections means health centers can serve people with other ailments.”

Coalition PLUS has welcomed these advances: “8.1 million people living with HIV are now being treated under Global Fund programs, 800,000 more than at the end of 2014. This is a success of international solidarity that needs to be consolidated and, above all, continued.”

The objective for the end of 2016 is to reach a cumulative total of 22 million lives saved.

The use of pre-employment medical questionnaires in recruitment processes is clearly condemned by law, yet this discriminatory process is common, particularly in health establishments in Quebec. It has to stop, without delay. Sign the petition at www.pratiqueillegale.com.

The minister needs to take action
In order to have this illegal procedure stopped definitively, Fqsida is launching a vast campaign of mobilization on the web. Look out for us on Facebook and Twitter: we urge all Quebecois to sign a petition calling on Gaetan Barrette, Minister of Health and Social Services, to scrap this type of form from recruitment processes throughout the health network.

Just enforce the law
We are calling on the minister to take immediately all measures required to ensure that all establishments in the network, including the Ministry of Health and Social Services itself, review their recruitment processes and make them compliant with the law.

These medical questionnaires are, in fact, illegal since they discriminate against people based on their state of health by imposing obstacles to their access to jobs and their ability to keep jobs. People who declare a chronic illness or an infection like HIV are often refused employment.

Let’s sign for justice
We wish to give maximum visibility to this issue that is important for the entire Quebecois society. Join us and share our appeal to sign the petition on Facebook and Twitter.

For prevention to be successful, it’s indispensable to keep reminding young people of the importance of protecting themselves. That’s the key message of the Action-Condom campaign in Quebec, which now has a brand new tool: an application enabling young people to get free condoms.

Quick, a condom!
The Condom-Quebec app allows the quick geolocalization of youth community organizations that distribute FREE condoms.

Created by a group of community organizations to promote health to teens in the Capitale-Nationale region, among which appears MIELS-Québec, this tool also allows a quick search to find an intervenor to answer any questions. It also gives access at any time to sexual health information.

Protection is automatic
The Condom-Quebec app is a concrete tool resulting directly from the campaign. Through two unconventional and humorous video clips, this Internet campaign features young people in living contexts such as playing hockey and tattooing in which protection is automatic. The message? When you become sexually active, the condom reflex is also automatic!

ANSS IN BURUNDI:ARMED CONFLICT WIPES OUT YEARS OF EFFORT AND PROGRESS
May 18, 2016

Jeanne Gapiya, chairperson and co-founder of ANSS – a member of Coalition PLUS – was invited to address the opening ceremony of the 8th Conference of AFRAVIH , held in Brussels. She gave an alarming testimony on the situation of persons living with HIV/AIDS in her country, Burundi, embroiled in a new crisis since April 2015.

“It’s estimated that 250,000 Burundians have gone into exile, including thousands of adults and children living with HIV who were forced to flee without supplies of medication.

The conflicts have a dramatic effect on the services of ANSS: between April and May 2015 the number of medical consultations went down by 16%; the number of medical visits in hospitals and homes dropped by 36%. In the capital, Bujumbura, police operations curtail patients’ movements, forcing them to miss appointments for obtaining treatment.

I do not purport to teach you anything new when I say that the development of anti-AIDS treatment is a decisive victory against the epidemic. These precious molecules prevent new HIV infections, save lives and improve the state of health of persons living with HIV. By jeopardizing our activities, the conflicts that batter us literally steal that victory from us, wiping out years of effort and progress. This is an emergency! We need help!”

Thank you for your support, which is more precious now that ever asthe country goes through this dramatic situation.